Wichita eagle., 1887-06-14
AN ARMY REUNION.


Major General R. Edward Conner, who has
been distinguished soldier in three wars OF
the country. Although now well advanced
in years his erect and soldierly bearing indi-
Gates that he has not yet lost the fires OF
youth. or the strong will power that marked
his administration, twenty-five years ago, OF
military affairs between the Missouri river
and the Sierra Nevadas.
We enjoyed yesterday the pleasure OF call
from the general who was accompanied by
two of his former staff officers. Colonel 5.
E. Jocelyn, of this city, who was his commits
sary of musters, and Captain Geo. F. Price,
U. S. Army, who was his chief of staff, now
stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, from which
place he came day before yesterday to meet
his former chief. The bonds OF
comradship are always strong, but nowhere
do we find stronger or more enduring friend
ships than those existing between men VINO
have camped upon the same fields, fought
in the same battles, drunk from the same
canteens, and shared the same blankets, the
friendship, formed by these three soldiers
two now in civil life, the third still following
his honorable profession, has existed more
than quarter century and seems to grow
stronger. deeper, and more lasting as they
Journey onward toward the river, over
which other comrades not less dear and val
ued, have crossed and are now resting under
the grateful shade Of the trees on the other
side.
Col Jocelyn is so well known in this COM
munity that it is not necessary for us to
write of him. Captain Price is known TO
many of our people, outside OF his
profession, as friend of Wichita and large
ly interested in her present and future pros
perity. But of General Conner we wish
more particularly to write, because his
career in the west is both a romance and
history. He has been actively employed
more than fifty-five years in exploring new
regions, subduing savages, developing MN
ing interests and building up communities.
He has fought in the everglades OF Florida,
from the Rio Grande to the capital OF the
Montymun severely wounded at Buena
VISTA and during the great rebellion. He
helped to build the first log house that was
of adventures induced him to enlist In the
First Dragons, from which regiment he was
discharged as a sergeant in lS44 at Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas. Twenty. one years
later he visited that post as the general
| commanding the military department
| in which it was then located.
When the great Rebellion began he was
actively engaged in business pursuits in Cali
fornia, postmaster at Stockton, president OF
the board of trustees of the state Insane
Asylum, owner of the Stockton water works
and contractor to build the foundation OF the
State Capitol at Sacramento, from which he
was released by the legislature when he enter
ed the volunteer service as colonel of the
Third California Infantry. He was ordered
| in the spring of 1862 to Utah to occvpy that
territory and hold the Mormons in check.
| The situation at that time required cool
Judgment, determined will power, and mark
ed force of character. In brief period of
time, Brigham Young, then at the zenith OF
his power, was compelled to acknowledge the
presence and influence of will superior to
his own which had heretofore successfully
combatted all government officials who had
been assigned to duty in that territory.
General Conner, without threats or display
of force compelled the Mormon chief to &C
knowledge the summons OF United States
court by personal appearance and giving
bonds to answer an indictment that had been
found against him. Later Brigham Young
further acknowledged the quiet unyielding
will of General Conner by hosting over his
house an American fag-the first time he had
done so since he was removed from the gov
ernorship of Utah.
The battle of Bear river, fought January
90, 1863 in which the heretofore unconquered
Shoshones were signally defeated, losing two
hundred and seventy-fve warriors. won for
Conner his commission as brigadier- general
of volunteers. Later his command was ex-
tended to include Utah, Nevada, Wyoming,
Nebraska, and parts of Colorado and Kansas,
in which were included Denver and Fort
Leavenworth He established Fort Douglas,
which overlooks and commands Salt Lake
City, conquered all hostile tribes
Of Indians in Utah, maintained
law and order among all classes Of people,
your practical assistance to the development
of the mining interests of the territory,
which the church authorities bitterly oppos-
ed, and in many ways stamped his energy
and spirit of enterprise on the progress Of the
territory.
In the spring of 1865 he established his
headquarters at Denver, moved thence to
Fort Laramie, whence he personally conduct
ed remarkably brilliant campaign against
the hostile Sioux in northern Wyoming, and
in August of that year defeated them al
Tongue River, with great slaughter.
At the end Of the war he was made g
brevet major-general Of volunteers for his
distinguished services, and was offered the
colonelcy of one of the four new regiments Of
cavalry that were to be added to the mount
ed force of the regular army, but because Of
his large business and mining interests hi
was compelled regretfully to decline thu
proffered commission, and was among tn:
last of the volunteer guards to be mustered
out of service.
In 1881 General Connor was recognized a
the first "Gentile" in Utah in his historical
importance and rank, as he was, more thai
twenty FIVE years ago. in effect the chief rep
3 resentative of the government in that terri
tory. when if he had not been an incorrupti
, ble soldier and humane man, Utah woul'
, have been plunged into second rebellion
| AGAINST tha national authority the conse